News From the Field

October 1, 2013

New Developments in Competence-Based

Learning, MOOCs, Badges and More

News From the Field

October 1, 2013

Catherine Marienau, Ph.D.

Pamela Meyer, Ph.D.

Kathryn Wozniak

Update on Competency-based Learning & Assessment

Sources of the News

• September 2012: Lumina & Gates Convening on CBLA as new model for higher education

 • September 2013: Pearson Learning Solutions

Academic Executive Forum—Spotlight on CBLA • List serves, e.g., Competence-L; Inside Higher

Education; Huffington News; CAEL Forum & News

Definition from U.S. Department of Education(4/2013)

Competence-based education is an outcomes-oriented approach that is not dependent on seat time measures of learning.

Instead, student achievement of learning outcomes is assessed and certified through observational methods, such as task performance, exams, demonstrations, or other direct measures of proficiency, and credentials are awarded on successful demonstration of competence.

What’s Trending

• CBLA is hot—Why a revival now? • Institutions of all types are becoming

interested/engaged • Many different approaches & models

• On-line delivery, mainly courses• Professional-occupational specializations• Competencies as discreet units

– Individualized pacing– Standardized assessment instruments/measures

• New pool of faculty

What’s Trending (con’t)

• US Office of Education is exploring & setting policies (pro & con), e.g.,– Direct assessment– Financial aid regulations

 • Foundations (e.g., Lumina) are funding

– Experimental sites– Training of faculty

 • More institutions are using Outsourcing for course

content, delivery, learning assessment

Enhancing Employability: Trends in Workforce

CredentialingA person who earns a college degree, can make as much as $16,000 more per year

On average, college graduates make about $1 million more over their lifetimes than adults who do not have a college degree.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Certification demonstrates to employers your commitment to your profession

Maintaining your certification demonstrates your commitment to lifelong learning and staying current with your profession’s best practices

Ninety six percent (96%) of employers feel that an HR certified candidate applying for a job would have an advantage over a non-HR certified candidate (HRCI Survey, 2010)

What are workforce credentials? Workforce credentials include the various methods used in the workplace to measure on-the-job competency, such as educational degrees, licenses, certifications, and experience.   What are the types of workforce credentials? 

• Licenses are knowledge and skill credentials that are legally required for some occupations. Licensing requirements often vary by state.

• A certification is an award earned by passing a test in a certain occupation or profession. Certifications are valued by employers as a demonstration of workers' knowledge, skills, and experience.

• Apprenticeship Programs offer supervised, structured on-the-job training combined with related technical instruction.

• Educational degrees or training courses serve as qualifications for many occupations.

• Work experience including on-the-job training, internships and volunteer or temporary employment, can help develop skills and qualifications.

Let’s hear about MOOCs, Badges….

Implications for Practice

What are the implications that can guide our work with adult

learners?

A Few Questions for Us at SNL• Rewards & Risks for SNL and Our Learning Partners

– more avenues for learning for adult learners– more integration of professional/industry certifications in students’ degree programs– more opportunity for layered credentialing– more opportunity for faculty as mentors/coaches– more opportunity to place Assessment at the center

 • Where is the place for liberal education/liberal arts? • How are capacities for liberal, integrative, applied, agile learning being

fostered for

– Employability/livelihood– Individual growth & development– Engaged citizenry

Adult Learning Innovation Institute

October 23rd (3-5PM)Introducing Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind

October 24-25 (9am-4PM)Introducing Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind